Top 07 Must Visit Wellness Retreats in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka, an opulent island nation of tropical beauty situated at the heart of the Indian Ocean, has quickly been gaining a reputation for travel over the past years. Last year, Lonely Planet named it the top country for travel, a fact re-advocated by the travel franchise later on in the year. In addition to its distinctive landscape of alluring beaches and tropical climate perfect for that breather from the stresses of everyday life, the nation boasts a rich history of its own distinctive breach of island wellness. Steeped in a rich culture of wellness rooted in the practices of Ayurveda, a number of local resorts and retreats have adopted the belief at their core with the aim of sharing of that ideology with the curious traveler. Here are some local havens with some of the best health and wellness vacations the island has to offer.

Santani Resort & Spa, Kandy

Located in the highlands of the island, Santani (Sanskrit for “in harmony with”) takes its eponymous philosophy to the heart of even its minutest details. Framed against the lush hills of the Kandyan region, Santani seeks to help the exhausted traveler truly reset and achieve a state of wellness by living in harmony with the natural world. The dwellings spread out across the resort are all built harmoniously with nature and come with WiFi only on request, to help orient and focus solely on your personal wellness journey throughout your stay. A personalized consultation with the resident Ayurvedic doctor will leave you with customized treatments, meal plans, and group yoga classes for that refresher to help kickstart- and continue- your personal wellness journey throughout your stay and even after, making it the best wellness retreat in Sri Lanka.

6

Jetwing Ayurveda Pavilion, Negombo

Not far from the city of Colombo, along the bustling shores of the Negombo lagoon, is Jetwing Ayurveda Pavilions, a premiere Ayurvedic resort in the nation. For centuries, Lankans have been ardent practitioners of Ayurveda based wellness and at the Jetwing Pavilions, that history rich belief is combined with the island’s equally infamous hospitality to bring guests a complete wellness vacation for the body, mind and soul. The resort is host to Ayurveda therapy centers, an Ayurveda pharmacy, and exclusively vegan and vegetarian meals. To complement the experience, guests are also welcome to indulge in the facilities of the other Jetwing resorts located nearby.

5

Baberyn Beach Ayurveda Retreat, Weligama

Founders of the first Ayurvedic resort in 1984, Baberyn Beach Ayurveda Resort are longtime veterans of the industry. Their long-standing rapport is a true testament to their flawless service and devotion to providing the best Ayurvedic experience possible. The gardens, which were initially laid alongside the resort, are now a place of unique beauty, housing the fruit of many years in the form of the herb trail and bird watch activities offered at the resort. Baberyn also offers some of the best, internationally recognized Ayurveda therapy. Veterans at the game, they cater to all your Ayurveda therapy needs, helping you achieve the holistic goal of leading a long and healthy life without illness.

4

Amuna Ayurveda Retreat, Sigiriya

Amuna Ayurveda Retreat in the North Central province of Sri Lanka is another local wellness retreat that mixes seamlessly with its environment. Taking care to preserve the natural landscape surrounding it, the resort offers three types of accommodation, each uniquely built in congruence with the land around it and according to traditional building concepts. Ayurveda, a word literally meaning “science of life”, is the holistic way of life and living that Amuna is built on. Facing the Kandalama reservoir, with an organic herbal garden at the base of its medicinal supply, a tropical forest garden with calming waters, and a softly bubbling stream at the entrance to the retreat, Amuna is a retreat that truly impresses on its guests the value of nature and the effect it has on achieving one’s ideal lifestyle goals.

3

Wattura Resort, Waikkal

Cradled between the waters of the Waikkal Beach and the Gin Oya estuary off the coasts of Negombo, Wattura Resort is aptly named- Wattura translates to “water” in local Sinhalese. Keeping in stride with that spirit of wellness, the resort works in balance with the natural resources abundant in the area. From a slow, calming cruise along the soft waters of the Gin Oya and a deep-sea fishing excursion in ocean waters, to a scenic mountain hike up the largest pink quartz mountain in Asia and Sri Lanka’s most impressive ironwood forest, Wattura Resort spins its own wellness package for those looking for a healing vacation, without that total isolation from the world.

2

Ulpotha Retreat, Dambulla

Whether searching for a physical rest, or a spiritual one, the Ulpotha retreat is one which easily helps lift the burden off a weary soul and body. Away from the bustle of the busy world, this exceptional Ayurvedic resort is nestled in the village of Ulpotha, Anuradhapura, the oldest kingdom in the nation. Repeatedly hailed as one of the best yoga retreats in the region, the eco-friendly and sustainable establishment has built a reputation around its calming environment. Open six months of the year, the resort is best known for its scenic forest trail walks and nature spotting, apart from yoga. The resort relies on natural and traditional ways of living, still using lamps to light the way in place of electricity, truly offering an escape from everything related to the regular.

1

Sen Wellness Sanctuary, Tangalle

Along the southern coast, just off the town of Tangalle, is Sen Wellness Sanctuary. Surrounded by the mangroves native to the lagoon environment the resort is built around, Sen Wellness Sanctuary ardently believes nature to be the best healer. The cabanas and buildings that make up the resort are all built on stilts, with utmost respect to the natural landscape that gives this resort it’s unique surroundings, and without disrupting the patterns of animal migration. Committed to supporting each guest on their own personal health and wellness journey, the resort also offers a range of traditional wellness activities like acupuncture, yoga, and osteopathy to help heal and bring its guests closer to the realization of their own wellness goals.